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Why soreness takes so long to set in???

There is a genuine widespread fallacy that lactic acid is the causal culprit to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). While the full details of how DOMS happens hasn't been figured out yet, we do know that it's likely part of the inflammatory process (which is why asprin and ibuprofen taken before and after exercise can modify the DOMS sensation). Lactic acid is a bi-product of anaerobic cell metabolism. Its production is not limited to muscle cells and cells have adapted to deal with lactic acid in such a way that it's not just wildly secreted all over the place like some out of control fire hose.

What may be happening in DOMS is that training in and of itself may not be the mechanism by which muscles are "broken down", but rather the stimulus. So, you're not doing any "breaking down" _while_ you exercise (unless you're going for extremely long bouts), but after you're done, the cells in your muscles and tendons react to the exercise stimulus and actually start to break things down. This may involve the degradation of collagen fibres and other tissues by these cell types. As a result of this cell-mediated break-down, noxious substances may be secreted which interact with the the sensory nerve endings in the area, which then send pain signals to your brain. The reasons this takes a few hours to 2 days is that 1) the rate of "breaking down" varies from person to person, dependent mostly on genetics; and 2) the amount of time in which a threshold concentrion of noxious molecules is achieved also varies, dependent upon genetics, the efficency of one's body in getting rid of these substances (ex. if the body clears these biproducts at a lower rate then they are produced), and perhaps the extent of overload on the system.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

My remedy: On the way home from whatever really hard workout, stop by the gas store and pick up two bags of ice. Go home and run a cold bath, pour the ice in the tub, and sit for 10 minutes or so. A towel wrapped around your upper half will help keep you warm. By the next day, your legs will feel brand new.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

You can take a couple of ibuprofen, or whatever over-the-counter medication you use for headaches as well. Tylenol is the least preferred (acetomenephen) as it is primarily a fever-reducer/pain-reliever as opposed to an anti-inflammatory/pain-reliever.

The caveat to all of this is to make sure you're allowing your muscles adequate rest and recovery as well.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

bryanc,
Will Advil work? I'll take that tonight and see how much it will help. My next workout is on Monday, so that's 4 days rest between my sessions. Since I just started working out I am doing 2 day/week routine. If my legs are still sore tomorrow I'll try ice bath.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Advil is ibuprofen, so it should help some. You may also have "overdone it" since you're just starting out. Gauge whether you should do your workout based on how your feel rather than number of days in this case. It's okay be a little sore, but after 4 days rest, I would expect there to be no soreness. If you're quite sore still, then you might have to get creative. And if you aren't sore and find yourself where you are now next week, then it's most probably a message that you're trying to do too much in too little time.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Well as JP has pointed out he will go for the deep tissue masage first. Maybe thats not an option for you. However Core performance and many other places talk about foam rollers to massage your muscles. I am under the impression this is to speed and increase quality of recovery time.

I personally haven't tried it because I don't have a foam roll! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Bryan,

THANK YOU for touching on the lactic acid thing again--it always amazes me how that myth continues to be perpetuated.

I'm surprised that you recommend ibuprofen, etc. The recent research I've seen shows that neither ibuprofen or acetaminophen appear to make a difference in degree of DOMS. Of course, I think most of these have been from abstracts at Experimental Biology and ACSM conferences, so I really don't know how solid the studies are. But I was wondering if I've missed something, or if they should be discounted for some reason.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Don't forget the ice baths. Ibuprofen might work to help reduce soreness but the ice baths will do a hell of a job as well. I hate doing it because its super uncomfortable, but if I am really beat up I will. I always did it after rugby games if I had access to a bath tub. If you can do it without wanting to die its a pretty good idea.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Originally posted by Adam Campbell: Bryan,

THANK YOU for touching on the lactic acid thing again--it always amazes me how that myth continues to be perpetuated.

I'm surprised that you recommend ibuprofen, etc. The recent research I've seen shows that neither ibuprofen or acetaminophen appear to make a difference in degree of DOMS. Of course, I think most of these have been from abstracts at Experimental Biology and ACSM conferences, so I really don't know how solid the studies are. But I was wondering if I've missed something, or if they should be discounted for some reason.

I haven't really read anything to suggest otherwise yet either. However, the recommendation to take an analgesic is purely for the pain relief, not for any underlying mechanistic purpose really (just as the recommendation to ice or take cold/contrast baths is purely for pain relief and not any underlying mechanistic reason).

If the postulate that inflammation is indeed the cause of DOMS is correct, then one has to ask the question whether an inflammatory response is a part of "growth" (i.e. the whole idea of breaking things down in order for them to grow), and whether a "painful" inflammatory response is a natural part of "growth" in which case, taking an anti-inflammatory agent is actually possibly impeding progress. Mind you, there is no evidence to suggest that DOMS is related to progress either strength-wise or hypertrophy-wise, so we're still on the proverbial square one on this.

But given that the pain being experienced is indeed DOMS and not something else, any analgesic (ibuprofen, acetomenaphen or asprin) will help to alleviate some of the pain and not likely do any harm. The reason why many people recommend ibuprofen is because it can't hurt to take it (unless you're not supposed to). At the worst, DOMS is not inflammatory and it does nothing but provide pain relief. At the best, DOMS is inflammatory and ibuprofen addresses both pain and inflammation. It's a bit of a hedge of a bet that way.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Originally posted by jeffm: i dont know but for some reason none of my muscles really get sore the next day i mean i work out hard but it just doesent happen anymore are u suppost to always be sore after any workouts?

Bryan wrote above in one of his posts that soreness is no indicator of growth. Being sore doesn't mean a muscle is growing or you worked it the right amount. Training for soreness is just a good way to burn yourself out.

But, a lot of times the lack of soreness has a lot to do with the fact your body is used to the routine you have been doing. How long has it been since you changed it?

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

In regards to DOMS, is there a general consensus as to whether it is best to work through the pain or wait for it to subside? In my case it's always bad after the first workout day of a new workout or after the first day back from vacation. Both times when I get charged to get back in the gym.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Thought I just read in the new MH that an anti-inflamatory will hinder muscle regeneration when taken for muscle soreness. I'm not disputing anybody's advice, just wondering if this is fact or fiction.

Why soreness takes so long to set in???

Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's) work wonders for recovery and soreness. They had the potential to be widely popular back in the late 80's and early 90's but other supplements such as advancements in steroids and creatine exploded the market. Now days I know of a lot of elite athletes take them...on Charlie Francis' forum they talk a lot about them.